


Consequences and Repercussions

by dracoqueen22



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-17
Updated: 2012-06-17
Packaged: 2017-11-07 22:33:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,503
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoqueen22/pseuds/dracoqueen22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyouya makes plans to ensure his future, and doesn't realize he's being spun into a web of his own making.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Consequences and Repercussions

**Author's Note:**

> The Hitachiin twins are sixteen/seventeen in this fic. Whether or not you count that as underage is up to your own opinion. Where I live, sixteen is the age of consent. Therefore, read at your own discretion.

It had started with a bet.

Of course, it wasn't one that Kyouya himself had taken part in because he never placed money on odds he wasn't absolutely sure he was going to win. Yet, the entire affair had begun on a bet all the same, without his knowledge or consent. And it was irksome that he hadn't seen it coming, that he'd missed all the signs. It was even more galling that someone had gotten the better of him.

But, that would be starting at the end of the story, and nothing could be gained from knowing the outcome before the circumstances.

Frowning, and running a hand over his spectacle-less face, he flopped back on his bed – yes, flopped – and stared up at the bone-white ceiling. He left his palm perched over his face, as if in some vague attempt to block out the current revelations. One hand carelessly dropped out to his side, skimming over abandoned calculations and carefully scribed notations.

Utterly useless, all of it was, since he had completely missed what had been so blatantly shoved into his face by those brats. Those conniving, diabolic twins whose act he had sworn would never convince him and yet, had somehow managed in the end.

A sneer pulled at Kyouya's lips. But it was directed more at himself. His free hand clenched into a fist against the soft and expensive expanse of his comforter.

Foolish. He had been so fucking foolish. And now the truth was staring him in the face, mocking him with a devilish grin and fake, blushing cheeks.

It had started with a lie. An untruth that, at the time, he had fully believed to be an accurate statement of the facts. After all, he had been watching them for some time. He had realized just when play-acting was turning a bit too real for one Hitachiin. It had been a pleasing discovery, one that he carefully notated and then continued to observe, planning to have quite a bevy of evidence before following through with his intentions.

Kyouya, after all, was a man who understood the value of planning for the future. And as useful as the Host Club had been for his endeavors, he recognized that he would not be a member of it forever. He would eventually have to graduate and pursue his own occupation and dreams. Until then, however, Kyouya was too smart to throw away something that could be potentially useful. For example, his relationship with fellow Host Club members.

He knew he would have Tamaki's loyalty forever, provided he didn't do something phenomenally anserine that would ostracize Tamaki from him. No, Kyouya wasn't worried about losing Tamaki's friendship. Hunny-senpai, for all his seeming childishness, could understand the benefits of keeping close companionship with Kyouya and the Ootori's. And whatever Hunny-senpai wanted, Mori-senpai inevitably followed. He had nothing to worry about from either of them.

But the Hitachiin twins... they were significantly more difficult. Nothing bound them to the group, save their affections for Haruhi. They were only mildly attached to the rest, seeming to accept their presence with the same blasé attitude that they had accepted the interference of the rest of humanity into their singular world.

Kyouya was not Haruhi, and he could not tell the difference between the two of them if it became necessary. He could not see into their minds, but he could understand their motives. And he could hypothesize and plan.

He was determined to find a way to bind them to him, to assure himself of their loyalty. No matter what avenues the Hitachiin twins ended up pursuing, Kyouya was certain that a _friendly_ relationship with them would be beneficial in the future. He had only to find the glue, the thread, that would ensure their faithfulness.

To his surprise and utmost pleasure, the answer had very neatly fallen into his lap.

It was a typical day for the Host Club, screaming, swooning females left and right as they ogled the beautiful boys on display just for them. The theme of the day had been – at Tamaki's insistence – something along the lines of superheroes. Kyouya had thought the idea ridiculous as usual, and was mildly surprised by how eagerly the girls ate up the idea of flirting with a group of men dressed in colorful tights and questionable masks.

And he hadn't been able to say no when Tamaki had thrust the black, half-rubber costume in his direction. Which Tamaki had personally picked out each Host's hero and attire, citing that only he knew them well enough to bring out their true heroic nature. A load of bullshit, but like everything else, Kyouya simply acquiesced. He was ridiculously weak to those purple eyes and annoyingly, it showed.

Perched off to the side, notebook and pen in hand, Kyouya made careful notations as always. He walked slowly amongst the club, after carefully tending to his own customers, and made sure that everyone was enjoying himself. He made note of a plate that Haruhi's customer accidentally snapped and dropped, being sure to add the expense to Haruhi's debt and let a sliver of a smirk pull at his lips.

Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai were entertaining their own guests in an interesting set of costumes. Kyouya had to admit that Tamaki certainly had skill in selecting which superhero matched with Host Club member. Cries of adoration and cooing seemed to float from their direction. Everything was going well there.

He continued, ignoring the swish of his long cape behind him, and resisted the urge to scratch his head where the weight of the "bat ears" pressed against his scalp. He still couldn't decide if the extra income was worth this ridiculousness.

It was on his usual rounds that he noticed the oddity, or to be more precise, the piece of information that he had been seeking. He paused by the Hitachiin twins as they played their usual games, making a perfectly innocent superhero pair of siblings seem positively indecent. Not that their customers seemed to mind. And as Hikaru drew away from practically molesting Kaoru, Kyouya caught it.

Just a glimmer really, a faint hint of something deeper, something craved. It was almost like longing and definitely no longer looked like a game. He paused, head cocking to the side as he continued to observe. He was as unobtrusive as possible, and if either twin was knowledgeable of his presence, neither showed it.

Kyouya watched Kaoru watch Hikaru. He saw the longing reflected in Kaoru's face, saw the aborted attempt at reaching before it was dissolved in their usual game. Saw a moment of immense jealousy replaced by a familiar devilish smirk and pandering to their customer's desires.

And he remembered, in that moment, the look on Kaoru's face when he had urged Hikaru to pursue something with Haruhi. It had been one of understanding and regret. It had been one of self-sacrifice, one of giving up something for the sake of another's happiness. And it had been painful.

He nearly chuckled a bit devilishly himself. It became so obvious then and there. The string, the glue that he needed. It was right in front of him. And Kaoru was going to provide the key.

Forcing himself not to smirk and give away the sudden glee racing through his mind, Kyouya turned away and made careful notations. And if there was an extra half-bounce to his step, no one commented. A plan was already beginning to form, words crafting themselves in the best manner to sway his prey.

He missed the look the twins exchanged between each other. The secret smirk that would have saved him his doom if he had managed to stay long enough to witness it.

A week passed before he found opportunity to act on his new knowledge. A week in which he continued to gather information, where he noticed certain instances that he hadn't noticed before. More clues were added to his notebook until Kyouya was absolutely certain of his conclusion.

And then, an opportunity fell right into his lap. Kyouya didn't dare name it luck, because the Lady was far too fickle and he preferred to rely on something more dependable. Either way, it was a chance he wasn't going to miss.

After the end of Host activities for the day, Kyouya was usually the last to leave. It was his prerogative because he made sure to take final stock of their sweet supplies, make sure the room was being cleaned properly, and add up his final figures for the day. Not to mention the sound of the third music room being completely silent was soothing to him. Without the noise and chatter of Host activities, he found he could relax, if only a little.

Stepping back into the Host headquarters after meeting with the custodians to warn them of the awful mess left behind by an accidental spill, Kyouya was surprised to find that the room wasn't quite as empty as he thought it would be. There, standing on the other side of the room and perched in front of the large, wide-paned windows, was only one of the Hitachiin duo. Kaoru was staring through the clear glass, seemingly transfixed by something. Utterly alone.

Thinking back, that maybe should have been his first clue.

Kyouya's fingers tapped against his side as he contemplated how to take advantage of this situation. It was hard to formulate a plan when he wasn't entirely certain of the current circumstances. Just what was Kaoru doing here? And without his identical companion? All of these questions meant that Kyouya didn't know the answers, and he wasn't a man who enjoyed not knowing.

He planned to find out.

Setting his notebook and calculator on one of the many end tables in the room without making a sound, he planned his attack. "Now this is an unusual sight," he stated simply, his voice carrying easily.

He stepped further into the room, directly into a fall of sunlight from the window. Kyouya watched as Kaoru glanced over his shoulder, shifting his attention from whatever he had been watching. The motion was smooth, effectively covering up the jump of surprise he had originally reacted with. An almost wary look filled pale brown eyes.

"Kyouya-senpai," Kaoru greeted with a cheerful chime that was just a bit guarded. "What are you doing here so late?"

"I should be asking you the same question," Kyouya easily returned, long legs taking him swiftly across the open expanse of the empty club room until he stood directly in front of Kaoru. "And without Hikaru. I repeat, how rare."

Something flashed across Kaoru's face, so quickly that it wouldn't have been noticed if Kyouya hadn't been looking for it. And he very nearly smirked to himself at the sight.

"I left something behind so I told Hikaru to go ahead without me," Kaoru answered cautiously, angling his body half towards Kyouya and half towards the window as if to block the older boy's sight. "He's waiting for me out front."

Oh, that was so obviously a lie and Kyouya knew it. But he played along for the sake of it, recently learned information dancing in the back of his head. His plan hadn't been fully formed yet, but Kyouya wasn't completely inept at improvising. Now was the perfect chance. Both to find out more and to begin putting his project in motion.

Kyouya opened his mouth to say something further, only to pause when he noticed something quite peculiar. The position of Kaoru's body, for example. He was obviously trying to hide something.

Interested, Kyouya stepped closer, so that he, too, could see out the window. A quick glance down gave him full view of Hikaru, waiting rather impatiently in front of the school. Their limo was also present, and it was obvious Hikaru was more than ready to leave for home. He glanced occasionally at the clock tower as one hand reached towards his neck tie, tugging at it in the midst of the wet, clinging heat outside.

"You're not looking very hard," Kyouya commented casually, watching Kaoru from the side.

His gaze shifted downwards, to what Kaoru was attempting to hide, and his eyebrow rose before he could tamper down on his reaction. His mind instantly retracted, recalling the last instance he had seen of the twins. Treating their regular customers to one of their favorite poses, bodies interlocked and practically emulating clothed copulation. And it looked like Kaoru was suffering from the after effects of such intimacy.

On the contrary, Kaoru looked quite _hard_ indeed.

Kyouya blinked, the flush spreading across Kaoru's cheeks the first honest blush he had ever seen on the Hitachiin as Kaoru realized that he had been caught. It was nothing like that contrived coloring he used to impress his customers. And it was absolutely adorable. For the first time, Kyouya could see the attraction.

The predator in him licked its lips.

But most of all, he was immensely pleased. He had been _right_ , and that was all that mattered to Kyouya. His intuition had served him well yet again.

Kyouya wondered how long Kaoru had been standing here, watching his brother, and promising himself he wouldn't do it. Wouldn't lay his hand on his aching length and stroke it at the sight of his forbidden desire. He wondered how long Kaoru had perched here, aching and wanting, yet refusing to do a damn thing about it. Surely, it was quite painful.

"Well, I've got to be going now," Kaoru announced, attempting to edge away from the inquiring gaze of the older student. He knew that Kyouya hadn't missed a thing.

A hand snaked out, snagging Kaoru's elbow before he got too far. "That must be painful," Kyouya practically purred, dragging Kaoru back towards him and leaning over the younger boy's shoulder. One arm wrapped around Kaoru's waist, until they were melded together.

"It makes one wonder how long you've been standing here, wanting to touch yourself but not doing so because then that would be the final step, wouldn't it?"

His voice was a wet and warm whisper against Kaoru's ear, and he knew the effect it would have on the other male. He caught Kaoru's eyes widening from the corner of his gaze, and suppressed a smirk. Hook, line and sinker.

There was a dragging shudder of breath from Kaoru's frame. "H-Hikaru's waiting, Kyouya-senpai," he said, making a half-assed attempt at trying to break free. One hand clenched on the arm curled around him. The other hung loosely in Kyouya's still present grip.

"And you're busy so I should..."

He trailed off the moment Kyouya's tongue touched the shell of his ear, and a moan rumbled in his chest. Kyouya had every urge to make it escape those lips. It would be so easy to trap Kaoru like this, to keep him enthralled. The idea made Kyouya's blood hum. Oh, he loved it when plans came to fruition.

The hand curled around Kaoru's waist slipped lower, and Kyouya's fingers brushed across the twin's groin. He felt the warm pulse of Kaoru's arousal through the fabric of his pants. He was most definitely on the edge.

"I know, Kaoru," he continued, molding his chest against Kaoru's back. "I know about your little flame for Hikaru. I wonder what he would say, if he knew that your little game was everything his dear brother really wanted."

He felt Kaoru stiffen in his arms, even as his hips gradually shifted into Kyouya's teasing touches. "What do you want?" he demanded, showing a hint of that Hitachiin steel. He was down but not out, and the thought of breaking him was intoxicating. He would enjoy this.

Kyouya chuckled lightly. "Want? Who says I want anything? Maybe I am simply offering my services." To prove his point, he rubbed the heel of his palm over Kaoru's clothed groin and felt Kaoru's arousal leap beneath his touch.

"Right. Like I am going to believe that." Kaoru snorted in disbelief, but his hips were still moving to Kyouya's rhythm. Body instinctively responding. The flush on his face was deepening and his breath was coming in short little bursts, though he was obviously trying to hide his reaction.

"Kyouya-senpai never does anything that isn't to his benefit," the Hitachiin twin added, without making a single effort to get away. "So what do you want?"

He felt a smile curving at his lips as he tongued Kaoru's ear. "You know me so well," he murmured. "Well, why don't we keep my intentions a secret for now. After all, this has to be painful."

_This_ was straining desperately at the bindings of Kaoru's clothing. Kyouya's skilled fingers were already deftly unbuckling his pants, letting them sag around Kaoru's slim hips. The sound of the zipper seemed abnormally loud in the silence of the Host Club's room.

He heard a quick intake of breath. "Are you offering to take care of it for me, Kyouya-senpai?" Kaoru asked silkily, and there was a hint of temptation in his voice. He was trying to turn the tables on Kyouya. Well, he couldn't have that.

His hand dove into Kaoru's pants, finding the hot, silken length of him. His fingers wrapped around the hard shaft, drawing it from the confines of his clothing. His thumb brushed against the rounded head, swirling across the damp tip. Kaoru shivered in his arms, and pressed more firmly against him.

His responses were too much. Kyouya felt his own body beginning to stir. It couldn't be helped, after all. A natural reaction to a physical stimulus. Kyouya ignored his own need in favor of the younger boy in his arms. He had a plan to enact after all.

"If you can't have the one you want, than a substitute will suffice. Yes?" Kyouya responded, lowering his mouth enough to press it against the side of Kaoru's throat. He could feel the twin's pulse on his lips.

Kaoru's fingers tightened in their grip on his arm. "Evil," he muttered, gasping when Kyouya stroked his length skillfully. "Kyouya-senpai is evil."

"Mmm, perhaps." He hummed in Kaoru's ear. "But if you don't hurry. Someone will come in. And then what will they think? What would Hikaru think if he found you like this?"

In response, Kaoru shuddered, his hips urging his shaft into Kyouya's grip. He was rocking in the older student's arms, drawing his lower lip between his teeth.

Kyouya felt a dark chuckle escape his lips. "Dirty little Kaoru. The idea of that makes you hot, doesn't it?" And he had the slickness coating his fingers to prove it as he continued to stroke Kaoru, sensing that the Hitachiin twin was close to his finish.

"Cruel, senpai," Kaoru gasped as a counter, his fingers almost bruising as he pressed against Kyouya and rocked his hips into Kyouya's touch. "So cruel."

His teeth grazed the soft skin on the side of Kaoru's throat as he brushed his thumb over the seeping tip of the twin's length. Kaoru released a muffled moan, clamping down on the sound of pleasure, and then he was shaking as he released into Kyouya's grip. Semen splashed over Kyouya's fingers, a few drops escaping to fall to the floor. Something else for the custodians to take care of before they left for the day.

He kept Kaoru pulled against him until the last tremors subsided, and then the Hitachiin brother slumped in exhaustion, breath coming in heavy heaves. Kyouya finally released his grip on Kaoru's arm and reached into his pocket, withdrawing one of his monogrammed handkerchiefs. With efficient motions, he carefully wiped his fingers, and the rest of the mess Kaoru had made.

The quiet between them wasn't quite awkward, but it was heavy, filled with expectations. He drew back a step and watched as Kaoru shifted his pants back into proper position, zipping and buttoning.

Folding up the soiled handkerchief, he tucked it away to be cleaned later, feeling a straining in his own pants. Now was the time to make a hasty, yet composed exit. No need to let Kaoru see how much he had been affected. Natural body response, after all.

Kyouya's glasses were adjusted with one finger. "I will keep your secret," he stated casually, amused by the subtle stiffening to Kaoru's shoulders. "In fact, I'll even be so kind as to offer you my services as you need them."

Gold eyes peered at him cautiously as Kaoru half-turned. "Like I said, Kyouya-senpai always has ulterior motives. What do you want?"

It would have almost been harsh, were it not for the faint flush still staining his cheeks. He was simply trying to cover up his embarrassment and amusingly, Kyouya found it almost cute.

He tipped his head to the side, treating Kaoru to his famous smile that was just this side of calculating. "Well, you will just have to see, now won't you?"

Convinced that he had made his point, Kyouya turned and stepped back across the room, pausing only to gather his notebook. He glanced once more at Kaoru, who looked to be in the middle of a decision. It had been too easy.

"Best not to keep Hikaru waiting for too long. He gets rather anxious when you're not around him." And with those parting words, Kyouya made his exit, barely able to repress his smirk of satisfaction.

His plans were coming to fruition, just as he had expected. All that remained was for Kaoru to come to him of his own accord. And Kyouya couldn't decide if he was honestly surprised or not when Kaoru actually did. The look in those eyes had been a mixture of determination and contention, that had served to stir Kyouya's blood.

And that had been the beginning.

It became a game for Kyouya, who only wanted to see how much deeper he could spin Kaoru deeper into his web. Each knowing glance, each knowledgeable smirk, proved to the twin that he held the information in the palm of his hand. And Kyouya made certain to provide ample opportunity to catch Kaoru alone, and capitalized on each one. Haruhi was an unwitting accomplice, serving to distract Hikaru whenever Kyouya so planned it. And he never denied Kaoru when the twin sought him out on his own.

Kyouya amused himself with Kaoru. Learning every touch which made the Hitachiin twin squirm. Testing to see which spots were sensitive and which weren't. Accompanying each touch with a hushed warning, with the hint that he could reveal the truth to Hikaru at any time.

It was something he didn't name blackmail, but it felt like it all the same as he wondered just how far Kaoru would go to keep his secret. And if Kaoru would ever deny him. The game grew deeper and trickier as Kyouya stretched the limits, pushing Kaoru's restraint.

And then... checkmate.

It happened so gradually, he hadn't even realized that it was descending on him, pulling him down into a black abyss. He was certain he couldn't even pinpoint when the first step had been made. Perhaps the day he noticed Kaoru's desperate look. Or perhaps the moment he first laid hands on the Hitachiin twin.

He started noticing things that he hadn't before. Like if he looked closely enough, at a twin that should have been identical in every way, he could see differences. Or maybe it was just that he had nothing to compare it to. Yet, he was still in some way certain that Kaoru's moans of pleasure, were different than Hikaru's.

If anyone had asked, he would have claimed ignorance. But deep inside, Kyouya could answer those questions. That Kaoru's eyes were just a shade darker. Or that his hair grew a bit faster than Hikaru's so he needed haircuts more often. And that there was a scar on Kaoru's left hip, where he had fallen and cut himself when he was young. A scar Hikaru could only duplicate with great effort and by no mere accident.

He realized that though they were twins and made great efforts to be indistinguishable, there were still differences. That sometimes, their tastes did run different. That while both Hitachiin liked chocolate, Kaoru preferred it darker, a bit more bitter. And Kyouya could only think that was appropriate, considering the current situation.

Yet, he also watched Kaoru select milk chocolate every time, because it was what Hikaru wanted.

Kyouya knew these things because he had made it his purpose in life to take note of such little details. They were how he lived, how he thrived. Every instance and moment in his existence comprised of notations and calculations, of little blurbs written to the side. Every event in his memory was categorized and properly notated with little tidbits of information he had gleaned that would eventually serve a purpose in his bid for world domination – or at least something similar. His plans weren't quite _so_ lofty.

And if his notes on the other members of the Host Club were just a tad shorter, or just a bit less involved, he didn't notice. In fact, he purposefully ignored that little incongruity.

He also noticed another oddity, mostly because it affected the Host Club's sales, which had always been Kyouya's first priority. The success of the Host Club, after all, reflected his own ability to manage and maintain. It was practice for the real world, practice for his own future in leading the Ootori conglomeration. And if the customer's weren't happy, then business suffered.

Kyouya had noticed that the Hitachiin's had been toning down their incestuous displays lately, though he couldn't be sure why. Subtle investigations had turned up nothing, though he suspected that perhaps they were simply growing bored with it. It had been at least a couple of weeks since they had done anything so blatantly incestuous, keeping it to innocent brotherly love. Yet, with their charm, they continued to attract customers. So while it was a confusing turn of events, it didn't require deep thought because business wasn't affected.

That didn't mean he stopped observing, however.

On his daily rounds of the Host Club, he passed by their usual table, and paused. Drawn by the sight of their usual game and banter. His pencil ceased in the midst of scribbling a recent observation of Haruhi's newest designation as he seemed unable to look away from the Hitachiin twin's intertwined forms. It seemed they were unable to stay away from what they knew best for long.

Hikaru nuzzled into Kaoru's throat, murmuring something about his brother smelling as delicious as always. His nose brushed over a spot that Kyouya distinctly remembered tonguing the day before, though he was always careful not to leave marks that would lead to uncomfortable questions.

Kaoru blushed attractively, right on cue, and lowered his eyes coquettishly. His hand lifted in mock surrender, playing the arrant submissive. He called his brother's name in that needy, half-bashful voice he had perfected that always sent the girl's to swooning. And Kaoru glanced at Hikaru from beneath lidded eyes, a look that was a mixture of sultry and longing.

Kyouya's pencil snapped in his hand.

The sound was somehow startlingly loud, even over the noise and bustle of the Host Club. He looked down in surprise, blinking at the pieces of wood and lead that were pretty much crumpled in his fingers. Good, strong wood, too. Carved rather than that plastic, refillable kind that other students had grown fond of.

To his utmost surprise, his blood was thrumming in his body in an emotion he had experienced often but very rarely displayed. It was much like anger, though there was a greener feeling racing through it. Just a bit more poisonous.

Horrified, he realized what he was feeling. He glanced up at the twins who were watching him curiously, and then stiffly turned. He told himself he was not running away as he efficiently ducked behind the curtains and into the changing area for the Host Club members. He was merely gathering himself, trying to calm the sudden shortness of breath and the rapid beat of his heart.

Kyouya looked at his crumpled pencil and his notes, and it was all gibberish. He couldn't understand a word of it. The bright colors of the all the costumes swirled in front of him, causing his head to pulse with pain. And for some reason, his heart was trying to break free from his chest.

Before he could gain his ground, or even begin to comprehend what had just happened, the door creaked open behind him. A part of him didn't want to turn. The more logical, calm, and rational side of him knew that was just foolishness. He glanced over his shoulder to see both Hitachiins entering, identical smirks of satisfaction on their faces.

His eyes narrowed. "You have customers," he stated sharply, chidingly. "You should be attending to them."

His words went right over their heads, as effectively dismissed as though they were merely one of Tamaki's long-winded rants to poor Haruhi.

"Tono is looking for you," they declared in tandem as they leaned against opposite sides of the door frame, peering at him from the corner of their serpentine eyes. Though Kyouya knew that Kaoru's were just a shade paler.

Hikaru – ironic he could tell who was who now with just a glance – continued with a twitch of lips that spoke so much. "Since you left so quickly, he was worried."

Lifting a hand that was not shaking, Kyouya adjust his glasses. "And he sent the two of you to consider my condition? Not even Tamaki is that foolish." It was the truth. The blond was more likely to storm in himself, demanding an explanation for Kyouya's behavior and mothering him.

Kaoru tipped his head towards Kyouya, a fall of bangs nearly obscuring his gaze. "Ah, you caught us," he practically purred, and it was in a familiar, devilish tone. "Of course, Kyouya-senpai always sees through our games, doesn't he?" His eyes slid to his brother.

"Maybe not always," Hikaru responded slyly, drawling the last word as he folded his arms over his chest. He looked pointedly at the crumpled bits of pencil. "Had an accident, senpai?"

"I don't think you'll find another pencil in here, though," Kaoru added, gesturing to the many costumes lining each wall. They didn't keep supplies in this room.

A touch of anger entered Kyouya's blood. They thought they had him pinned, and he couldn't have that. He drew up straight, gathering all of his pride and confidence around him and drawing it over his shoulders. He closed his notebook and folded it under one arm, reaching up with the other hand to push up his glasses.

He met their gazes evenly, proud that he didn't caught in pale brown eyes. "Need I remind you that you have customers," he declared solidly, taking a confident step forwards. "This business will not suffer because of your irresponsibility."

Through the door, he could make out the low rumble of the noise of the Host Club. But here, in these tiny quarters, it was almost private. The Hitachiin brothers didn't even flinch as his low, warning tone echoed around the otherwise empty changing room. In fact, their smirks widened.

Kaoru rose up off the door frame with a lazy, yet graceful movement and strode towards Kyouya. His face was carefully blank of his intentions, and something in the curve of his smile had the Ootori son hesitant. He refused, however, to take a step backwards, instead watching Kaoru with wary caution. Something a bit like anticipation was curling in his stomach and Kyouya didn't appreciate it one bit.

He could only watch as Kaoru approached, lifting up one hand to lay it against Kyouya's chest. He leaned forwards, rising up on his toes. Kyouya saw the paleness of his eyes, a mischievous gleam, before Kaoru kissed him. He pressed their lips together, tongue snaking out to dance across the seam of Kyouya's slack mouth.

The familiar taste of wintergreen spilled through Kyouya's senses. And he knew for a fact that Hikaru preferred spearmint. Those subtle differences that he had learned. His heart suddenly picked up a faster rhythm in his chest and he wondered if it was loud enough for the Hitachiin brother to hear. He became distinctly aware of the other eyes that watched them in the room.

And then the kiss was over, Kaoru pulling Kyouya's bottom lip between his teeth and biting down playfully. Kaoru's tongue flicked over his lip, almost apologetically, before he pulled back. A smirk of satisfaction was almost lazy in Kaoru's expression as he watched Kyouya, triumphant.

Footsteps echoed in the small room before Hikaru appeared directly behind his brother, draping himself over Kaoru's back and placing his chin on Kaoru's shoulder. "Still don't get it," Hikaru drawled, and promptly nuzzled his brother. Though it looked like something that should have been dirty, it actually came across as sibling affection. Nothing so deprave as incest.

Kyouya suddenly wondered if he was only seeing what he wanted to see all along. If what they tried to make him see, was in fact the same thing as he wanted to see as well. Without his consent, something dark and red broke across his face, and he just knew, his eyes were betraying him.

"Look, Hikaru," Kaoru suddenly purred, and his fingers danced over Kyouya's chest. "I think he understands now." The playful look hardened, just a bit. "Kyouya-senpai was caught in his own web."

He wanted to say something, to respond snappishly or to pull out knowledge that was even more incriminating. To prove that he had known all along and that it was they who were being tricked. He wanted to be the smarter one, to throw their games back in their faces.

But there weren't any words behind his lips. He felt a sweat gather on his brow and he couldn't even lift his tongue because there was nothing – _nothing_ _–_ he could say that would be even close to the truth. And a lie would be showing an even greater weakness. Instead he just stared at them, feeling his hands gather into fists at his side, wishing it weren't true.

They watched him now, with twin devilish gazes. "You see," Hikaru drawled, reaching out to flick a finger over Kyouya's cheek in a move that would have been sexual, if it weren't so mocking. "We had a bet. Is Kyouya-senpai as heartless as he seems?"

"We wondered," Kaoru continued, with a lofty, almost imperious tone. "Does Kyouya-senpai accept anything other than his precious figures?" He tilted his head downwards, looking up at Kyouya through a fall of bangs.

"A game," Kyouya stated harshly, and hated himself for how hoarse the words were tearing from his lips. "It was a game."

They grinned in tandem. "Bingo."

He felt just a little sick, that churning in his belly something a bit like nausea and a bit like something else. It stuck, sharp and poisonous. But it was absolutely not betrayal. Or even jealousy.

At least, that was what he told himself.

Kyouya lowered his head and his glasses slipped down his nose. He reached up, pressing them with one finger, until they were back in proper position. But he didn't move his hand.

"Heh." He chuckled bitterly. "A game."

Why should it matter? He asked himself. Why should he care? Yes, he'd lost this round, but there would be other chances. He could turn their little tricks back onto them, could find some other way to watch them fall. And it would be his own game, his own dash into madness. He wasn't the loser quite yet, down but not out.

And yet, it felt like he were lying to himself. By the look in their eyes, the Hitachiin's knew it, too.

He forced resolve onto his face, a hardness into his eyes. "You've proved nothing," he declared, with all the confidence he could muster, with all the assurance of a proud Ootori. "This self-proclaimed victory is premature."

Kyouya squared his shoulders and stepped easily around them, already reaching for his notebook. He flipped it open, turning to a blank page, pulling a spare pen from his pocket. He was the perfect picture of composure.

"Oh, I think you're wrong, Kyouya-senpai," Hikaru practically purred at him, causing him to pause in place, shoulders stiffening.

A hum of agreement rumbled in Kaoru's throat, and Kyouya's mind instantly supplied him with mental images and memories of other times he had torn such erotic sounds from Kaoru.

He glanced to the side, towards the ground, yet from the corner of his eyes and over his shoulder, he could see their expression. It matched perfectly.

"I think so, too, Hikaru," Kaoru murmured. "What a cute little toy, Kyouya-senpai's become."

His eyes widened in a mixture of anger and mortification, and it took all of Kyouya's self-control not to whirl on them with a scathing remark. Instead, he clenched his fingers tighter around his notebook.

"We'll see," he stated coldly and collectively. "The game has just begun."

And then he was gone, stepping out of the changing area and back into the Host room where the noise of the club's activities swept him away. A smile of fake composure planted itself into his expression and a lie for Tamaki fell easily from his lips.

The pair of golden eyes that watched him, however, and felt as if they mocked him, knowing his declaration of war for what it truly was. A shameful lie. And the twitching of interest in his pants – borne after Kaoru's biting kiss – only proved it.

Kyouya clenched his teeth, nearly grinding his jaw.

Damn twins.

Later that day, after Host Club activities had ended, Kyouya was the first to leave for once, ignoring all of Tamaki's attempts to talk to him and the worry scrunched on the blonde's face. He grabbed his calculations, his notes and his laptop, and went home. He bypassed his sister without so much as a greeting and went into his room. Locked the door and collapsed on the bed.

He hadn't moved since.

Kyouya groaned, feeling a headache pulsing behind his eyes. Outsmarted by a pair of twins. Outplayed and outclassed. His hand slid from his face to finally slump against the bed, where it landed against papers, crinkling them.

His gaze slid to the documents, recognizing them for what they were. The observations he had made of the Hitachiin's, down to the last detail. So precise and careful, facts checked and double-checked.

Worthless.

With a growl of anger, he swiped them off the bed. He didn't bother to watch as the white papers fluttered to the floor in a scattered heap. Useless, every single notation. When he didn't know what was a lie and what was truth, it was all useless.

He had been so foolish.

 

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